Now each year the blooming of the trees is marked with a Cherry Blossom Festival. The celebration grew from humble beginnings to a great spring festival drawing thousands of visitors from around the world.

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It may not be the case for Washington D.C. just yet (give it just a couple more days), but the cherry blossoms are in full bloom in Tokyo.

The Japanese Meteorological Agency tracked the Sakura (cherry blossom front) northward last week, peaking in Tokyo on March 30. Thousands of people have gathered across Tokyo to take part in ‘Hanami’ (Flower-viewing parties) the centuries old tradition of picnicking under a blooming Sakura tree. The blossoming begins in Okinawa in January and moves north through February peaking in Kyoto and Tokyo at the end of March and lasts just over a week.More

Beautiful weather over the weekend coaxed the delicate buds to bloom on many of DC’s cherry trees to the delight of tourists and locals alike. This year’s late peak, due to the cold start to spring, pushed back the National Park Service’s initial March 26-30 prediction throwing shade on more than a few blossom enthusiasts’ original travel plans.

Take a look of photos of the cherry blossoms as they bloom into their peak, as well as pictures from past years of the festival.

The annual Blossom Kite Festival, held Saturday, March 30 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was met with spring-like weather, but inconsistent winds. Thousands of people came out with their kites of all shapes, colors and sizes. Some came just to watch.

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